No Going Back
by lookupatthesky
Summary: TROYELLA ONESHOT 'This is the real deal, Gaby. We're the real deal. Most people never find a love like ours, and I won’t let our happy ending slip away just because we’ve screwed up a few times. We’re meant for each other, like… like Ross and Rachel.'


**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters, which should be pretty obvious. Because I have references to the TV show _Friends_ in this fic, I will also add that I don't that either. The only thing I own is the plot.

**Title:** No Going Back

**Author:** Steph (cuppycakes)

**Summery:** We're the real deal, Gaby. Most people never find a love like ours, and I won't let this chance slip away because we've screwed up a few times. We're meant for each other, like… like Ross and Rachel. Troyella oneshot. Previously titled 'No Going Back'.

**Status:** Complete

**Author's Note: This is extremely short, but I think that it doesn't need to be long. There is a plot – albeit it's rather cliché and completely filled with fluffy romance. Hey, every writer needs a few romantically unrealistic one shots to vent out all of their fluffiness, right? Well, at least, I do.**

**Right, so, this isn't _technically_ AU but I strongly doubt that it would actually happen to Gabriella and Troy. The time is not specific, except it definitely takes place after High School Musical, and probably after High School Musical 2. However, they are still in high school. Another thing: the climate described is probably not typical of New Mexico, but seeing as I live in New England I decided to use this situation, which is very common where I live.**

**Anyways, enough rambling (that was an abnormally long author's note, especially for a one shot; sorry!). On with the one shot! Oh, and please review, even though this is a rather pointless fic and I really don't expect any reviews.**

-0-o-0-

**No Going Back**

It was one of the those rainstorms when the rain would start out light, and then a second later you would look out the window and it would be pouring rain so hard that you wouldn't be able to see even a foot in front of you. Of course, Troy hadn't realized this before going outside, not that it would've made much of a difference anyways.

He was drenched within seconds of running out his front door, but that didn't seem to matter much – at least to him. Maybe he would care later, but not then. Nothing mattered, except for her, and what he had to do. So he just ran as fast as ever down the street, as if his clothes weren't weighed down with water and the rain wasn't so hard he could barely see. Wiping away the rain from his eyes, hoping to be able to see better, Troy looked around, hoping with all of his heart that he hadn't missed the house.

He hadn't.

Grinning in spite of himself, he ran to the backyard, not even bothering to knock on the front door. Troy knew her well enough by now to know that she would never agree to see him. She would make up some excuse, and her mother would send him away. Then she'd know he was there, and would lock the only other way to get to her. That meant one thing: Troy would have to take her by surprise.

Looking around in the rain, Troy was so disoriented that he almost ran into the tree he had been looking for. It was this that made him realize that climbing up with the rain obscuring his vision so much wasn't exactly the smartest plan he'd ever had.

Deciding to listen to common sense, Troy leaned against the tree, waiting impatiently. He looked up, squinting at the leaves above him that did little, if anything, to shield him from the rain. Looking down at his completely soaked clothes, however, Troy realized that it didn't make much of a difference. He couldn't get any wetter. Running a hand through his matted hair, he let his thoughts wander.

This wasn't the first time he had climbed up to her balcony – not by a long shot. The first time had been spontaneous, he had gone up to explain about a misunderstanding that was planned by Chad and Taylor. He remembered it perfectly, he could picture her, hear his exact thoughts. Back then, he had no idea what would become of them. He had no idea that they would be like _this_. Sure, Troy had wanted them to amount to something, to be something more. But he knew he hadn't wanted them to be like this.

It wasn't supposed to end up this way.

Troy felt some of his tension ease a bit as the rain began to lighten up. Without wasting a moment, he began climbing, oblivious to his sopping clothes weighing him down and to the marginally lighter falling rain. He had no idea what he was going to say to her once he got up to the balcony, but somehow Troy knew that it was okay. He'd think of something – he always did. Now, he just needed to see her, to hear her voice. He needed Gabriella Montez.

Gabriella was laying on her bed, reading a book, and as soon as he saw her he grinned uncontrollably. This was the Gabriella he knew. His Gabriella. She was truly in her element.

Troy was so wrapped up in watching her, examining everything and savouring it, that he slipped on the slick wood of the balcony as he made his way over to the doors that led into Gabriella's room. At the thud of Troy falling, Gabriella's head snapped up. By the time Troy had caught his breath and was struggling to get up, wincing in pain, she was already opening the balcony door.

Forcing a grin onto his face, he said a bit ruefully, "That wasn't exactly the entrance I had been planning on. Sorry about that."

She wasn't smiling. Arms cross and lips pressed together tightly, she waited for him to get back up on his feet before asking coolly, "What do you want, Troy?"

"To explain," he said simply, as if it was that easy. And who could blame him? It had always been that easy before – all of those previous times. But his luck just hadn't held out.

Gabriella shook her head sadly, "There's nothing to explain, Troy. We're done – for real. I mean it this time."

"Aw, c'mon," he said, forcing himself to make light of her statement, even though something inside of him told him that she really meant business this time. "You always say that, Gaby. Just hear me out. Please."

"No, Troy," she said flatly. There was a sound from downstairs, muffled by Gabriella's closed door. She looked back into her room, suddenly nervous as she realized the consequences if they got caught like this. Turning back to Troy, who didn't seemed fazed at all, she said, "You better go before my mom catches you."

At this, she made to close the door, but Troy's hand quickly darted out, stopping it. As much as she hated to admit it, he was stronger then her.

"Come on, Troy," she said, trying to fight his strength. He didn't move, and even as she concentrated on the door Gabriella could feel his penetrating electric blue eyes on her. Her patience wearing thin, she scowled and pushed him in the chest hard enough so that he'd lose his balance, but not hard enough that he would fall of the balcony.

Caught by surprise, Troy struggled to regain his balance as Gabriella watched him. She didn't want anything to do with him anymore – it was clear. But, still, he had to try. He couldn't give up yet.

"C'mon, Gaby – just talk to me," he pleaded, for a second he looked lost and vulnerable, but then that look disappeared with an expression of certainty as Troy said adamantly, "You know I didn't cheat on you. You _know_ it, so don't act like you think I did. It was just another one of those stupid rumors. And all those other times, all those other misunderstandings – that's what they were, misunderstandings. I never did any of those things, and I never did this."

That wasn't strictly true. Sure, he hadn't _cheated_. Troy could never have cheated on Gabriella, even if he had wanted to. But he _had _slipped up, sometimes – missing dates (though not many, granted), and ignoring her for something much less important, like basketball championships. But that had been ages ago. Troy knew better now. He had learned. He never made the same mistake twice.

Gabriella now stepped outside – an improvement from trying to shut the door in his face – and her voice clearly held frustration and confusion as she replied, "Maybe you didn't cheat – I don't know. But this is about so much more then that. I didn't break up with you because of those rumors, Troy. I broke up with you because we aren't going anywhere. Every time we start to get on the right track again, something happens and we break up. Sometimes the cause is our friends, or haters that are jealous. And if not them, it's rumors, or basketball, or parents-"

Troy winced, remembering all too clearly how his father had forbid their relationship at one point because he had thought she was distracting Troy from basketball. It had taken all of two weeks for Troy to stand up to his dad and apologize to Gabriella. Those had been probably the worst two weeks of his life. Even the time after had been better, when his dad had ignored him for the better part of a month – it had hurt, but at least then he had Gabriella.

Oblivious to Troy's reaction, Gabriella continued, "The point is, Troy, that I don't want to have to go through this anymore. It just hurts too much – the breaking up, and then getting back together thinking it will last, only to have it end again. It damages us – and I'm not just talking about me here; it's you, too."

"I'm serious this time – I really, really mean it. I can't live without you, Gaby. Whenever you leave, I can't think, can't concentrate. My mind's always on you. I don't want you to leave me again. We'll work it out – I swear. We'll find a way to make it all okay, together. And then it can be just the two of us, forever. We'll never break up again."

Troy could hear the desperation in his voice, but as much as he tried to conceal it, he just couldn't. He knew this was his last chance. She wouldn't give him another shot after this – there were too many strikes against him already. And he couldn't lose her. Not again, not this time. Not now.

Shaking her head, Gabriella said sadly, "Why this time? Why not one of the other many times? This time isn't any different. We'll just end up broken, again."

"No, we won't," Troy said earnestly, knowing he meant it. "This time is different, Gaby. I know it."

"But why, Troy? Tell me why."

"Because…" he hesitated, taking a step forward. Gently and cautiously, he lifted a hand to stroke her cheek as he said in a voice just surpassing a whisper, "because I love you. And, I know I've said that before, but this is the real deal, Gaby. _You're_ the real deal. This is the kind of love that most people never find in their lives, and I'm not going to let our happy ending slip away because we've screwed up a few times. We're meant to be together, like… like, Ross and Rachel."

As much as she tried not to, Gabriella smiled, and Troy knew why. Ross and Rachel. Their friends laughed about it – how ironic it was, because _Friends_ was Gabriella's favorite show. Sometimes, when they were dating, Troy would surprise Gabriella by going over her house and they would watch reruns; Gabriella had all of the seasons on DVD.

It always struck Troy how much like Ross and Rachel he and Gabriella were. Ross and Rachel were an off-and-on relationship, and nothing ever seemed certain. But you always knew that they would end up together, because, after all, they were Ross and Rachel. They were meant to be, no matter how much it sometimes seemed otherwise.

"Ross and Rachel, huh?" Gabriella asked, softening slightly.

Troy nodded, afraid to say anything, and the silence became deafening.

Gabriella was just staring at him now, and Troy stared back. He had poured out his heart to her – that wasn't something a guy did everyday. His heart was racing, his hand was trembling as his hand slowly traveled from her cheek to her lips. She didn't stop him.

A sort of nervous half smile on his face, Troy waited. He had never had to do this before, and it was terrifying. Sure, he had waited, but all those other times he had known what she would say. He had known she would take him back. This time, there were no guarantees like before. And Troy couldn't decide whether he wanted to hear her reply or not.

Finally, she whispered softly, "I love you, too."

Troy smiled softly, his heart still racing faster then ever. Carefully, as if afraid she would refuse, he pulled her into a hug, breathing in the scent of her hair as she buried her face into his chest. They stayed like that for awhile, until Gabriella pulled back slightly, smiling softly as she said playfully, "By the way, that was one of the corniest things I've ever heard, Troy Bolton."

"Yeah?" he asked, pulling back slightly and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I meant it."

And then he kissed her, slowly, as if savoring the feeling. It had been too long, too long since their last kiss, and he missed the feel of their lips melting together. He felt elated, and then even more ecstatic when she kissed him back. Troy needed this. He didn't know how to survive without Gabriella next to him, and he knew it was this piece of knowledge that would keep them together. They_ both_ needed each other. Gabriella needed him as much as he needed her. And Troy wouldn't let her leave him again. He wouldn't screw up this time.

Troy and Gabriella both knew this was it. This was the real deal – they were staying together now. Both of them knew it, though Gabriella didn't even know why really. Maybe it was something Troy said, or the way he said it. More likely, it could've been his touch, or that irresistibly smile. But as she wrapped her arms around Troy's neck and let her hands get tangled in his dripping hair, Gabriella suddenly knew. It was everything. It wasn't just his smile, or voice, or touch. It was everything rolled into one – everything that made him her Troy.

She loved him, she loved him more then words could ever convey. And he loved her back with just as much – if not more – sincerity. As they stood on the balcony as one, they knew that it was the truth. This was their happy ending.

There was no going back now.

-0-o-0-

**Tell me if you liked it!**


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